Entertainment
It's hard to believe that a month of 2018 has already passed, but the year has already proven to be a big one for women, with the #MeToo movement, Time's Up, and the second Women's March already underway. If you want to eat, sleep, breathe, and watch feminism, though, then you need to see these 17 movies about inspiring women in 2018. The list of films premiering this year includes many about women who kick ass, whether that be literally or figuratively.
One of the most exciting things about the movies coming out in 2018 are how many of them are based on real women. You'll get to watch plenty of fictional ladies busting down doors with movies like Tomb Raider, Breaking In and Ocean's 8, but you'll also have the opportunity to learn more about real-life heroes like Nadia Murad and Gloria Allred. With so many powerful women to see in the upcoming year, there's no doubt that you'll be more motivated than ever before to take down the patriarchy and maybe even travel into another dimension like Storm Reid's character in A Wrinkle in Time.
Whatever these movies inspire you to do, they'll want you to make 2018 your most empowered year ever. Make sure to watch all 17 of these movies in order to receive maximum motivation.
1
'The Post'
The Post (writer: Liz Hannah) was released everywhere on Jan. 12, so you can see Meryl Streep's inspiring performance as Kay Graham.
2
'Seeing Allred'
On Feb. 9, all the questions you have about the feminist attorney will be answered with this Netflix documentary (directors: Sophie Sartain, Roberta Grossman).
3
'Annihilation'
You've probably already heard about Annihilation because of the hype surrounding its visual effects, but the movie also includes an inspiring team of female scientists that is almost more mind-blowing than the movie's sci-fi plot. It hits theaters Feb. 23.
4
'Half The Picture'
Half the Picture (director: Amy Adrion) just premiered at Sundance, and it focuses on the film industry's lack of women behind the camera.
5
'A Wrinkle in Time'
This might be one of 2018's most exciting movies (director: Ava DuVernay), and while Reese Witherspoon, Oprah, and Mindy Kaling's characters will be incredibly fun to watch, Storm Reid's role as Meg Murry will probably inspire a whole generation of young girls. Catch it in theaters on March 9.
6
'RBG' (Documentary)
This film, directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, not only celebrates a feminist icon, but it included women at every point of the filmmaking process (cinematographer: Claudia Raschke).
7
'Tomb Raider'
Lara Croft is back, this time with Alicia Vikander playing the archaeologist-hero. This origin story of the inspiring ass-kicking icon comes out March 16.
8
'Ophelia'
This take on Hamlet, told from Ophelia's perspective, stars Daisy Ridley and Naomi Watts. (Director: Claire McCarthy.)
9
'Breaking In'
Gabrielle Union stars in a new thriller in which she takes down her enemies and saves her families. Pretty darn inspiring, huh? See it in theaters on May 11.
10
'Where'd You Go, Bernadette?'
The movie that's based on Maria Semple's popular book follows the young Bee as she tries to track down her mother after she disappeared. It comes out on May 11.
11
'Bad Reputation'
For all Joan Jett lovers, Bad Reputation (post production supervisor: Alessandra Pasquino, co-producer/music supervisor: Margaret Yen, producer/subject: Carianne Brinkman) will be the movie of the year. There's so much to the singer from The Runaways that you probably don't know.
12
'Ocean's 8'
OK, con artists may not actually be considered "inspiring," but the fact that this movie involves an all-female cast in a typically male genre is pretty inspiring in and of itself. You won't want to miss it when it comes out June 8.
13
'Colette'
This movie follows the story of a French writer at the turn of the century whose work was published under her husband's name. After realizing that she deserves credit for her work, Colette embarks on a journey of reclamation and self-discovery (writer: Rebecca Lenkiewicz).
14
'On Her Shoulders'
At 23, Nadia Murad had already survived a genocide in Northern Iraq and escaped an ISIS attempt to force her into sexual slavery. Then, she became a public figure. The new documentary, On Her Shoulders (director: Alexandria Bombach), tells the story of how Murad handles both trauma and the public's expectations of her.
15
'Jane Fonda in Five Acts'
This new HBO documentary chronicles the life of the powerful force that is Jane Fonda (director: Susan Lacy).
16
'Kusama — Infinity'
You've seen Yayoi Kusama's art, or at least pictures on Instagram of her Infinity Room exhibition, but with the new documentary (director: Heather Lenz), you'll learn a lot more about the influential feminist artist.
17
'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'
If you loved the original Mamma Mia!, led by Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, then you're probably already counting down the days to July 20, when this sequel comes out.
It looks like 2018 will be a year for the books — the feminist history books, that is.
